Obama sets new restrictions on gun imports

Democrats in the Senate were unable in April to garner enough votes for a bill that would have expanded the background check system and cracked down on gun trafficking.

“Even as Congress fails to act on common-sense proposals, like expanding criminal background checks and making gun trafficking a federal crime, the president and vice president remain committed to using all the tools in their power to make progress toward reducing gun violence,” according to a White House statement released on Thursday.

The Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued a new proposed regulation that would close a loophole that allows felons and others to easily evade background checks by registering weapons to a trust or corporation.

The second action would ban the reimport of surplus military-grade firearms, with a few exceptions.